Lime oil has recognized fungicidal and antibacterial properties. Nanoparticles and nanocapsules are structures that have been developed to overcome the high volatility of essential oils. Chitosan nanoparticles and chitosan nanocapsules incorporated with lime essential oil were synthesized by nanoprecipitation and nanoencapsulation methods, respectively. The samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Z potential was measured. Also, particle size distribution was analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and the antibacterial activity was studied. According to TEM, the average size of nanocapsules was higher than for nanoparticles. When lime essential oil was incorporated, the particle size increased. Lime essential oil incorporation was evidenced by FTIR. Chitosan nanocapsules showed higher Z potential value compared to chitosan nanoparticles. The antibacterial activity was tested against four food-borne pathogens, being higher for nanoparticles than for nanocapsules. The highest antibacterial activity was observed for chitosan nanoparticles incorporated with lime essential oil applied against Shigella dysenteriae, attaining an inhibition halo (IH) value of 3.5 cm for 40 μL of minimum inhibitory volume (MIV). The novelty of incorporating lime essential oil into chitosan nanoparticles and nanocapsules and the study of their enhancing effect on antibacterial activity are shown in this paper.

Physicochemical characterization of chitosan nanoparticles and nanocapsules incorporated with lime essential oil and their antibacterial activity against food-borne pathogens

Apigenin as neuroprotective agent: Of mice and men.

Sweet basil is one of the most important culinary herbs. Currently, its production is carried out mainly in accordance with conventional agriculture. However, its cultivation in organic systems seems to be better adjusted to consumer demands connected with the lack of pesticide residues in foods and their safety. In the present study, two methods of basil cultivation in organic farming system were applied, i.e., in the open air and under foil tunnels. During the experiment, in central European climatic conditions, it was possible to obtain four successive cuts of herb. The herb was subjected to chemical analysis, including determination of the content of essential oil, phenolic compounds, and chlorophylls. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and flame ionization detector (GC-FID) analysis of the essential oil was performed, whereas the fresh herb was subjected to sensory analysis. The cumulative mass of fresh herb was distinctly higher in the cultivation under foil tunnels (44.7 kg∙10 m−2) in comparison to the open field (24.7 kg∙10 m−2). The content of essential oil, flavonoids, and phenolic acids was also higher in the raw material collected from plants grown under foil tunnels (0.81, 0.36, and 0.78 g·100g−1 DW, respectively) than from the open field (0.48, 0.29, and 0.59g·100g−1 DW, respectively). In turn, the dominant compound of the essential oil, i.e., linalool, was present in higher amounts in the essential oil obtained from plants cultivated in the open field. The sensory and microbiological quality of herb was comparable for both methods of cultivation. The obtained results indicate that, in central European climatic conditions, it is possible to obtain good-quality yield of basil herb. However, for its better productivity, it seems that cultivation under foil tunnels is preferable.

Sweet Basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) Productivity and Raw Material Quality from Organic Cultivation

Naturally-occurring phytochemicals have received pivotal attention in the last few years, due to the increasing evidence of biological activities. Thus, in the present study, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor potentials of hydroethanolic extracts rich in phenolic compounds obtained from Equisetum giganteum L. and Tilia platyphyllos Scop. were assessed and directly correlated with their content of phenolic compounds, by using HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis. T. platyphyllos showed the higher bioactive potential, evaluated in terms of antioxidant (radical scavenging effects - 105 μg mL-1, reducing power - 123 μg mL-1, β-carotene bleaching inhibition - 167 μg mL-1, and lipid peroxidation inhibition - 56 μg mL-1), anti-inflammatory (225 μg mL-1 inhibited 50% of nitric oxide production) and antitumor (breast - 224 μg mL-1; lung - 247 μg mL-1; cervical - 195 μg mL-1 and hepatocellular - 173 μg mL-1 carcinoma cells) activity, without having cytotoxic effects (>400 μg mL-1). These biological properties were positively correlated with its content and composition of phenolic compounds. Flavonoid contents were markedly higher than the content of phenolic acids, in both samples, being respectively 50.4 mg g-1 and 11.65 mg g-1 for T. platyphyllos, and 21.7 mg g-1 and 4.98 mg g-1 for E. giganteum. Moreover, while in E. giganteum extract, kaempferol-O-glucoside-O-rutinoside was the most abundant flavonoid, in T. platyphyllos extract protocatechuic acid and (-)-epicatechin were the most abundant phenolic acid and flavonoid, respectively. In relation to their content of phenolic acids, protocatechuic and caffeic acids existed in higher abundance in T. platyphyllos and E. giganteum hydroethanolic extracts, respectively. However, it would be interesting to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of both plant extracts to unveil the involved modes of action and to establish effective therapeutic doses.

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Contribution of the phenolic composition to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor potential of Equisetum giganteum L. and Tilia platyphyllos Scop.

Tilia tomentosa pectins exhibit dual mode of action on phagocytes as β-glucuronic acid monomers are abundant in their rhamnogalacturonans I.

Summary The aim of study was to determine the variability of 20 yarrow populations introduced into ex situ conditions, in respect of selected developmental traits as well as content and composition of biologically active compounds (essential oil, tannins, flavonoids and phenolic acids). Field experiment was established at the Experimental Station, Department of Vegetable and Medicinal Plants. Morphological observations and harvest of raw material were carried out in the second year of plant vegetation, at the beginning of blooming. Investigated populations differed significantly in respect of developmental features as well as content and composition of identified compounds. The highest differences among the populations concerned fresh mass of herb (0.46–1.79 kg per plant), number of shoots per m2 (64–243) and length of the longest internode (42–158 mm). Total content of essential oil ranged from 0.10 to 1.00%. Among 24 identified compounds β-pinene, 1,8-cineole, terpinene-4-ol, nerolidol and chamazulene were the dominants. According to content of these compounds, three chemotypes were distinguished within investigated populations, i.e.: β-pinene, β-pinene + chamazulene and 1,8-cineole type. Content of tannins ranged from 0.38 to 0.90%. Four flavonoids were identified and apigenin 7-glucoside was present in the highest amount (from 9.87 to 475.21 mg × 100 g−1), while the highest differences between populations concerned the content of luteolin-3',7-diglucoside. Within phenolic acids, three compounds (caffeic acid derivatives) were identified. Rosmarinic acid was the dominant one (75.64–660.54 mg × 100 g−1), while cichoric acid differentiated investigated populations the most.

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Intraspecific variability of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L. s.l.) in respect of developmental and chemical traits

Intraspecific variability in the content of phenolic compounds, essential oil and mucilage of small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill.) from Poland

Summary Southern sweet-grass is a perennial grass distributed through north-eastern Europe. In Poland, this rare, partially protected plant grows wild in well-lit coniferous or mixed forests. Its leaves, rich in coumarin compounds, are used for aromatization of alcohols. Taking into account high demand on this raw material and decrease in the number of southern sweetgrass populations it is recommended to introduce the plant into cultivation systems. In this study 12 populations of southern sweet-grass were selected and assessed in terms of their cultivation usefulness. The presence of associated plant species growing on its natural sites was investigated as well as light irradiance on those stands. The species was found in 3 types of forest communities. Air dry mass of leaves per plant varied in analyzed populations from 1.73 to 11.07 g. They were significantly diversified in the total content of coumarins (0.36–0.96%), flavonoids (0.09–0.26%) and polyphenolic acids (0.13–0.29%). The diversity concerning the content of coumarin, a quality indicator of leaves, was even higher. The content of this compound varied from 52.03 to 275.74 mg/100 g d. m. Among the analyzed populations, the most interesting seem to be population No. 12 (Jedwabno) and population No. 10 (Ruciane) characterized with relatively high mass of leaves and the highest content of the identified active compounds, including coumarin.

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Variability of southern sweet-grass (Hierochloë australis /Schrad./ Roem. & Schult.) wild growing populations occurring in eastern Poland

Southern sweet-grass (Hierochloe australis /Schrad./ Roem. & Schult., Poaceae), commonly known as a bison grass, is a perennial tuft grass rarely occurring in mixed forests in Eastern and Northern Europe. The raw material collected from this plant are leaves rich in coumarin compounds (especially coumarin) responsible for sweet, specific aroma of these organs. In Poland, southern sweet-grass leaves are used mainly for alcohol products aromatisation. Growing demand for the raw material results in uncontrolled and excessive collecting of this plant. The best way to solve this problem is to introduce this plant into cultivation. Since southern sweet-grass is allogamous and heterozigotic, strong intraspecific variability of the species is observed. Fourteen clones of selected individuals from one population of southern sweet-grass naturally occurring in East Poland were compared in respect of morphological traits as well as accumulation of biologically active compounds. The clones differed significantly in the weight of leaves (3.76–22.59 g of air-dry weight per plant). The total coumarin content (determined by a spectrophotometric method) in this raw material for investigated clones ranged from 1.49 to 1.94%, flavonoids – from 0.25 to 0.55%, and phenolic acids – from 0.20 to 0.42%. Three coumarin compounds were identified by HPLC, namely coumarin, 3,4-dihydrocoumarin, and o-coumaric acid. The content of coumarin ranged from 84.00 to 310.85, 3,4-dihydrocoumarin: from 17.80 to 168.45, and o-coumaric acid: from 37.50 to 70.00 mg · 100 g-1 dry matter.

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Marcin Ejdys

Papers

Intraspecific variability of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L. s.l.) in respect of developmental and chemical traits

Intraspecific variability in the content of phenolic compounds, essential oil and mucilage of small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill.) from Poland

Variability of southern sweet-grass (Hierochloë australis /Schrad./ Roem. & Schult.) wild growing populations occurring in eastern Poland

Functional traits of selected clones of southern sweet-grass (Hierochloë australis /Schrad./ Roem. & Schult.)